Israel

More than 450 Clevelanders remembered Israel’s fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terror at Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. Together in Hebrew and English, we commemorated the 24,000 heroes who sacrificed their lives for the state of Israel.

Colonel Kobi Dostakam, from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) joined us in mourning. “The heavy death toll that the State of Israel pays as a nation is the heart of our melting pot which enables every Jew, whoever he or she is, to feel that Israel is the eternal home for the Jewish people,” he said.

As the evening ended, we sang “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem that represents the hope of the Jewish people.

Thank you to our hosts, members of the IDF Delegation and all of our guests who joined us for a memorable evening. In tune with recognizing joy in times of sadness and sadness in times of joy, Yom Hazikaron’s somber end heralds the beginning of our festive Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration on April 23.